Useful info

pOhwer and Making a NHS complaint

Pohwer is a charity that promotes information, advocacy and advice services across England. It is an independent, free service reaching individuals struggling with particular challenges in life.

They deliver the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy to 20 London boroughs including Redbridge and Barking & Dagenham. You can use the service to process a complaint about any NHS service you have received (e.g. hospital, GP, dentist or optician etc)

Pohwer can give you information on:-

•How to make a complaint and to whom

•Explain the complaints procedure

•Signpost you to other relevant organisations

•Send you an information booklet for you to make your own complaint

•Provide you with an advocate to support you if necessary

An advocate will listen to you and help you to decide your next step. They can then write letters, get medical records, find out information and arrange meetings with NHS staff if this is deemed to be helpful.

You can download the selfhelp information by accessing the Pohwer website on www.pohwer.net and also contact them on0203 553 5960 if you don’ know whether or not to make a complaint.

The final stage of the NHS complaints procedure - if all else fails – is to contact the Health Service Ombudsman. Your advocate can help you with this.

Tips and tools to help you make a complaint about adult social care services

Posted on 04/11/2016

Citizans Advice have been working alongside Healthwatch England to create tips and tools to help you make a complaint about adult social care services if you need to make one.

These include things such as

-Dos and don'ts of making a complaint

-Checklist to help you decide whether you should make a complaint

-Tips for writing a letter of complaint about health or adult social care services

-Adult social care services complaints process flowchart

-Letter of complaint about adult social care

-Letter of complaint about adult social care on behalf of someone else